The blog about obscurity of life and randomness of the human brain all in one place.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

This post is a more personal one than the others and I hope a good one too.

Introversion has always been a troublesome topic for parents who worry about their child who'd rather stay inside than go out and play with the other kids. Teens are forced to break out of their introversion which is seen as an emotion-obstructing wall. People are made to feel bad if they'd rather work alone than in large chaotic groups. Shyness and introversion are often linked, though they are very different (Shyness is a form of anxiety brought on by fear of social judgement. Introverted people aren’t necessarily fearful of social situations)

I may be classified as awkward not because I am actually antisocial but because I don’t hang on any particular rung of the high school social ladder.

I'm not socially awkward. I don't hate people. I can carry on a conversation, sometimes even instigate it. I may also start a chain of verbal excitement once in a while. After meeting me, you might even think I'm extroverted.

"Extroverts are outwardly focused and draw energy from social interactions while introverts are inwardly focused and drained by interactions." - Sophia

Though this is true, it doesn't solve the common problem - miscommunication and misunderstandings between introverts and extroverts. People often mistake introverts to be shy but shyness has nothing to do with being an introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact, and small talk isn't a strong point.Nor do introverts like being alone all the time. It's just that they don't express most of their mental opinions and thoughts and keep them for contemplation in their inner selves.

I remember that I had spent hours on my sketches, cross-legged, different shades of pencils in a pile next to me. Not that I was good at drawing, or even enjoyed it that much, but hunching over your notebook is a trick introverts have passed down through the generations for disappearing when you’re supposed to be socializing.

Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. Introverts are not weird or nerdy, just different from the most.

I have a dislike for the telephone (not uncommon among introverts) and over-dependence on online interaction. That being said, it is also not true that I hate talking to people offline, or face-to-face. Just don't expect me to start small talk! It is the bane of my existence. Introversion is not something to be proud of, just like it isn't to be worried about. Though trying to be an extrovert isn't all that hard, it does take its toll on the mental health. And it is not practical. But just a reminder, we are not alone.

One really good site further explaining the hidden realm of introverts: